Cloth feed control



Dec. 16, 1941. B. M. JONES ETAL CLOTH FEED CONTROL Filed April 22, 1941 zzff . .Z'rrdezhzr. 31:31: W Jorzes Patented Dec, 16, 1941 s'rArE Par ries CLQTE FEEB CONTROL chusetts [application April 22, 1945., Serial No. 389,758

9 Elaims.

This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the feed of cloth in machines for cloth washing, dyeing, bleaching, etc.

The usual cloth washer or like machine for piece goods is loaded with a plurality of individual strings, each forming a separate loop. This procedure entails the loss of time in loading and in unloading, and the loops must be broken to get them out of the machine and then sewed together again for further processing through extractor, dryer, and other machines It has been proposed to sew the individual strings together end to end to form a long, endless string which can be run through the processing machine continuously, and may be removed therefrom by breaking the long string in only one place, but diificulty has been encountered in the feed in such machines due to slippage and tension on the goods resulting in piling up and loss of loop in the tank, necessitating undesirable machine stoppage, and also because various goods, ranging from rayon to heavy wool, have difierent feeding characteristics as to slippage on the feed rolls.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an apparatus having adjustable feed tension devices for continuous processing of a plurality of strings of piece goods, whereby the strings are sewn together end to end to form an endless, long string which can he traveled continuously through the machine, and which needs to be broken but once to remove it for-loading in a subsequent machine; the provision of a novel feeding arrangement for a continuous cloth processing machine; the provision of feeding means for the cloth which is adjustable to take care of varying tension in different kinds of cloth; and the provision of a cloth processing machine which requires less time to load and unload, provides a greater capacity and more uniformity in washing, dyeing, and bleaching, and eliminates washer wrinkles by varying the folds in the cloth.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which I Fig. l is a, vertical section through a cloth processing machine illustrating the present invention, this section being taken on line -4 of Fig- Fig. dis a section through the adjustable cleat roll, taken on line 3- 2 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a section through the main cleat roll, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral it designates a suitable tank for containing the washing, bleach, or dye solution i2. Supports M are provided at the rear of the tank for vertically upwardly guiding strands it of the endless string, by means of individual horizontal pot eyes 48, or other devices from the tank contents to a pair of squeezerolls 2e, These rolls are power driven in the directions indicated by arrows A in Fig. 1, to positively drive the strands by the nip of rolls as well as for squeezing. No supports or power sources are here illustrated for these or other rolls, as any desired or convenient journals and driving means may be supplied as desired to suit various conditions.

A main cleat roll 22 is located at the front of the tank, this roll being driven to take over the strands 55 from the squeeze rolls to return them to the tank. Fixed driving cleats 24 are located longitudinally of this roll on its periphery to insure a" driving action on the runs between the squeeze rolls and itself, so as to prevent piling and Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine look- 7 ing in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

interference between these runs and those indicated at 2B in the tank.

A short auxiliary cleat roll 28 having cleats 30 is located between the squeeze rolls and the main cleat roll at one end of the tank. In the illustrathis embodiment of the invention, this roll is shown as positioned above the other rolls, and its v function is to take over the last strand B prior to its reaching roll 22. It is to be understood that point C is taken as the first strand. A trough 32 parallel to the rolls is mounted in the end walls of the tank just to the rear of the main cleat roll 22 and in front of the auxiliary cleatroll. This trough extends the length of the machine and leads the string from last strand B back to initial position, through the intermediate strands. Cleats 30 on the auxiliary cleat roll 28 are fixed similarly to roll 22, but the former may be of larger diameter to supply further tension, during feed of strand B.

A driven roll 34 is located in axially aligned relation to roll 22, and this roll may be of approximately the same length as roll 28, to take over the initial strand C. A plurality of cleats 36 are secured to the periphery of roll 3G in parallel with the rolls These cleats are mounted on radial bolts 38 screw-=threaded for cooperating with nuts 40 which may be screwed along the bolts to radially adjust the cleats. This structure provides for adjusting'the eflective perimeter of the roll to vary its peripheral speed. It is to be particularly noted that adjustable cleat roll 34 may be integral with main cleat roll 22 in longitudinal extension-thereof, and the same operation of the machine is obtained. A pot eye 42 is located in position to guide the string from the trough to the adjustable cleat roll.

In the operation of the device, the operator starts one string thru the right-hand pot eye it, as seen in Fig. 3, sews the next string on the end of the first, leads the latter thru the nip of the squeeze rolls over-the main cleat roll and back thru the second pot eye I8. This action is continued until the machine is completely loaded and strand B comes over the auxiliary cleat roll 28, into-trough 32 and back to the adjustable cleat roll 34 where the pot-eye 42 guides it. Ihe operator secures the free end of the initial string to the free end of the last string, and

the machine is ready to feed the endless cloth repeatedly thru the tank.

Since the squeeze rolls positively determine the speed of travel of the various strands, the main cleat roll 22 is usually driven at a higher speed to tension the cloth andprevent it from sagging, and this of course occasions slippage on the main cleat roll. However, under ordinary circumstances, there is little tension on the cloth in the trough and hence the roll 34 is apt to pick up the cloth anddrive it too fast. In this case, the invention provides for reducing the perimeter of the roll 34 below that of the main cleat roll, butin some instances it may be necessary to increase the perimeter of roll 34 aswhere a relatively great slippage is present in thecloth-as it passes over this roll. The slipp e of all fabrics is different, and hence the cleats on roll 34- are adjusted each time a different fabric is to be processed, to exactly synchronize the speed of the cloth through the trough with the speed of the several strands fed by the squeeze rolls.

mving thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

i. In a machine. ofthe class described; the combination of a tank, a pair of cooperating squeeze rolls, means to guide a plurality of strands of a single continuous cloth string thru said squeeze rolls; a roll for receiving said strands from the squeeze rolls, and means adapted to guide a strand from one end of the squeeze rolls to the opposite end of said second-named roll;'

of feed means to take over said strand at said end of said second-named roll, said take-over" means being adjustable to vary the speed of the take-over action, whereby the latter may be synchronized with the speed of the strands issuing from. between-the squeeze rolls regardless of the type of cloth being processed, said take-over means comprising a plurality of elements arranged generally parallel to the axis of said second named roll, said elements being adjustable radially of said axis.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

squeeze rolls back to substantially the position of the initial strand; of feed means located adiacent the second-named roll at said initial position, said feed means being adapted to take said last strand and return it to the tank to assume initial strand position therein, said feed means comprising a plurality of radially adjustable-elements adapted to vary the speed 01 said last strand to synchronize it with the speed of the strands between the squeeze rolls and the second named roll.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a tank, a pair of driven squeeze rolls, a driven roll spaced from said squeeze rolls and in general parallel relation, thereto, and guide means for a continuous cloth string to be passed thru the nip of said squeeze rolls and over said second-named roll; with rotatable means located in extension of said second named roll for feeding said string at one point in its travel, said means being substantially radially expansible to vary the speed of its feeding action at its periphery.

4. In a machineof the class described, the combination of a tank, means for positively feed-- ing a cloth string at a plurality of points in its length, and a roll parallel to and spaced from said means tor receiving said string from said means and passing it into the tank; of means located in extension of said second-named roll, said means being rotatable on its axis to feed said string at one point in its travel and having peripherally located devices to engage the string, said devices being adjustable generally. radially of said axis to adjust the cloth string speed at said one point.

'said first-named means and pass them into the tank, a string take-over and feed device located at one end of said second feed means, said device comprising aplurality of elements adapted to be revolved about an axis in engaging relation to said string, so that said elements tend to feed said string, said elements being adjustable generally radially of said axis to thereby adjust the speed of said string as it is fed by said device, and means to hold said elements in adjusted position.

6.In an apparatus of the class described, a tank, a pair of squeeze rolls, another roll parallel to said squeeze rolls, cloth engaging means located in fixed relation on the periphery of said roll and parallel to the axis thereof, and further cloth engaging means located in extension of said first means and generally parallel thereto,

. said second-named cloth engaging means being adapted to revolve about an axis and having peripheral elements expansible radially with respect to said axis.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a tank, means to feed an endless cloth string thru said tank, said means comprising a set of rolls located in parallel relation, and peripherally located means on one roll for engaging said string, said string-engaging means being-adjustable radially of said one roll for effectively increasing or decreasing the string-feeding perimeter thereof, and means to secure said stringengaging means in adjusted condition.

8. In an apparatus of the class described tank, means to feed an endless cloth string thru said tank in a plurality of strands, 'said means comprising a pair of rolls extending from end to end of the tank and located in spaced parallel positions, means to guide said string transversely past said strands from one end of said tank to the other, and means at said other end of the tank for varying the speed of the portion of the string so guided, said means including a plurality of cleats arranged to revolve about a common axis parallel to the cleats, the latter being adjustable radially of said axis, and means to secure said cleats in adjusted position.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a tank, a pair of squeeze rolls extending from end to end thereof, a cleat roll parallel to and coextensive with said squeeze rolls, the latter and said cleat roll being adapted to pass an endless cloth string thru said tank in a plurality of strands, means to guide said string directly from one end of the tank to the other to repass it thru the tank, and means to take up the string at said other end of the tank, said means comprising a plurality of cleats adapted to revolve about a common central axis parallel thereto, a support for said cleats, means on said support to adjust the distance between each cleat and said axis, and means to hold each cleat in its adjusted position. BLISS M. JONES.

FORREST C. AMES. 

